Mother Love
by yourmainsqueeze
Summary: Completely re-written and transformed into a one-shot. A few brief glimpses of what it may have been like for Itachi's mother.


I.

The sky is inky black and as she wanders through the garden paths it is the twinkling stars that light her way. She is nineteen, and though this is not her first late night celebration, it is her first time sneaking away to meet a boy.

Her hair sits atop her head in an intricate whirl. Her kimono, deep blue like the far off sea, is brand new. She steps delicately, holding herself erect, trying desperately to ignore the rumble of her heart.

Her boy kisses her, and she feels as beautiful as the flowers that surround her.

II.

The stars wink up at her from ancient charts and ladies cackle merrily all around her. The marriage will be fortuitous they sing to her mother, it is written in the skies. She will make her husband eternally happy and she will give him strong sons.

The plump, jade encrusted fingers brush away the charts to make way for the tea. An overflowing cup is placed over a fraying sky, a lone star hidden, unseen beneath it.

She is still young enough to blush at the thought of having sons.

III.

She grits her teeth and endures in silence, while so many bony fingers pull and prod, arrange and rearrange. Her coal, black hair is combed so tight she fears it will snap. The layers of ceremonial kimono hang heavily on her willowy frame. The tightly wound obi forces the air from her lungs.

A hand yanks, starry bursts of light dance across her vision, and she is about to cry out. Her eyes lock with her mother's and she is ashamed. She blinks back the tears, ignores the pain, and remains silent.

The perfect Uchiha bride.

IV.

She is so tired that her eyes begin to droop shut before the weight in her arms calls her back to attention. Two little obsidian puddles of light gaze back at her. Just beyond the rice paper door, voices flitter around uselessly in the dark. Outside her window fireflies twinkle like a million languid stars.

Her tiny ward makes no demands of her and for that she is thankful. He seems to understand her in a way no one else does. He has lived a lifetime inside of her and has learned all her secrets. He accepts her and this unrelenting world that she has given him.

She knows it is not proper, but she had considerable influence on selecting the name. Some may not understand her choice, but she has her reasons. Itachi, her little weasel.

He is flawless, so much so that she has trouble believing he is sprung forth from her.

V.

She is struggling to stay afloat in this vicious swirl of politics. The man she loves is proving disappointingly weak and is of very little help. She is not equipped for this battle. She cannot win. She is oppressed by tradition and her obedience disgusts her.

Itachi comes to her with a scraped knee and she looks the other way. She has failed him already, the least she can do is teach him to be strong. In this small lesson, she shows him her love.

It will be a starless night.

VI.

She is far to knowledgeable for her age and she is beginning to feel ancient. A lifetime has transpired since she fell in love and in that time she has become acquainted with things so foul that she can hardly believe them. She is at the end of her abilities and she aches for all her failures.

A small form glides to her and plops down beside her. Itachi rests a small, pale hand atop hers and leans into her side. Just when she is convinced that he has fallen asleep he springs up with unnatural speed.

He returns, hand outstretched, to reveal a tiny fluttering star. He instructs her to make a wish and they both watch as the firefly escapes towards the heavens on its gossamer wings. She levels her gaze in time to catch Itachi's smile.

She is reminded of all her strength.

VII.

Carefully she adjusts Sasuke's stance and directs him to try again. He is so easily frustrated, nothing like is unshakable brother. From where she is beside Sasuke see can she Itachi move, like fluid, through his drills.

He finishes and she watches his retreating back with a heavy heart. Just as he has always known her secrets, she has always known his. Her son is moving farther and farther away, but she cannot call him back.

Her gaze returns to Sasuke just as his throwing star meets the center of the target.

VIII.

She sends Sasuke off on a complicated shopping mission and sits down to wait for what she knows is coming. She knows the moment he enters the room. Her back is to the door and his chakra is suppressed, but she _is_ his mother. She wants to make a request but she hesitates because she fears it will make it harder for him.

She manages to get out his name before his katana pierces her. If his pause is any indication, and she knows it is, he is surprised.

"Mother, if you knew of my presence, why did you not react?"

"I did not wish to make things more difficult for you."

There is a brief pause in which she smiles because she can almost hear his brain whirring.

"You knew."

"Of course. I'm your mother, Itachi. I know everything about you."

He remains silent and motionless so she decides to take the opportunity.

"Actually there is one thing that I do not know."

"I will not touch Sasuke."

The tears that gather in her eyes have nothing to do with pain. She is pleased to learn that after all this time he still knows her so well.

"I am glad to hear it."

He retracts his blade and guides her gently to the floor. His hair is pulled back as usual and his face gleams in the reflecting starlight. He is so precious to her, her little weasel. There are so many things she would like to say, but he already knows them all.

She can hear her husband come crashing into the room and she is aware of Itachi's movement, but all that is beyond her now. She is drifting away on a quiet breeze and nestled deep in her heart is the little boy who was just reborn inside her.

* * *

A/N: WoW, I hate myself sometimes. I decided to rewrite this as a one-shot so I'll have time to write for my other things. College is so time consuming. Sorry to everyone looking for some Suigetsu/Sakura action, but I'm in a miserable mood and that just won't do for a romance story! Anyway, is anyone else completely caught up in the possibilities of the relationship that existed between Itachi and his mama? If so comment on the story and let me know whats up. peace.


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